Clock-case.



C. B. SIMMONS.

CLOCK CASE.

APPLIOAIION FILED 11110.18, 1911.

1,042,159, Patented 001;. 22, 1912.

COLUMBIA PLANQGRAPH IO-WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES B. SIMMONS, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE E. INGRAI'IAM 00., OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION.

CLOCK-CASE.

Application filed Deccnber 18, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES B. SIMMONS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bristol, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in ClocloCases; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1 a view in rear elevation of a clock constructed in accordance with my in vention, showing its swinging rear support in its operating position by full lines, and in its folded or retired position by broken lines. Fig. 2 a view in vertical section on the line (5-4) of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 a View of a clock in horizontal section on the line c-d of Fig. 1, looking downward and showing its swinging rear support in its operating position. Fig. 4: a View in front elevation on a reduced scale of the clock with its swinging support in its operating position and taking the place of the two small pins or balls generally employed in clocks of this character.

My invention relates to an improvement in cases for the small cylindrical sheet-metal clocks generally known to the trade as nickel clocks on account of having originally been put upon the market in nickel plated cases, though a variety of other finishes are now bein adopted in place of nickel, the object o my present invention being to adapt suchclocks to be readily con verted from shelf or desk clocks to hanging clocks and vice versa, and to facilitate packing them for transportation.

With these ends in view my invention consists in a cylindrical clock-case provided with a movable rear support projecting beyond the periphery of the case when moved into its operating position, and contained, or substantially contained, within the lines of the case when moved into its clearance position.

My invention further consists incertain details of construction as will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In carrying out my invention as shown, I employ a swinging rear support made from a single piece of wire bent to form two cor- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22,1912.

Serial No. 666,529.

responding horizontally projecting loop-like supporting arms 2, 2, separated by a forwardly projecting retaining bend 3 located midway between them and adapted to be snapped over a retaining point or bead 4 located upon and projecting downwardly from the rear edge of the cylindrical sheetmetal case 5 which may be of any approved construction and finish. The said support also comprises two corresponding upwardly extending suspension arms 6 set toward each other so as to form, as it were, a narrower base than the said supporting arms 2 and terminating at their upper ends in parallel t-runnions 7 extending toward each other and adapted to be passed through the perforated outer ends of angle plates 8 mounted in the back 9 of the case 5, the back of the case being formed with vertical slits 10 for the outward passage through them of the perforated arms of the plates 8 which are located below the center of the back of the case. When the said support is swung downward into its operating position, the point of the bend 8 snaps over the head 4 and retains the support in its said operating position at which time its supporting-arms 2 project beyond the periphery of the case 5 and form a wide rear support therefor, the ends of the arms forming two points of a triangle completed by a ball 11 mounted in the bezel 12 which carries the bulging glass 13 and which fits over the forward edge of the case 5. When the said rear support is in its operating position, the clock is adapted to be used as a desk or shelf clock.

When it is desired to convert the clock for use as a hanging clock, the support is swung upward into its inverted or clearance position against the back of the clock-case, as shown by broken lines in Figs. 1 and 2. With the support in its clearance position, the ordinary suspension ring 15 in the top of the case 5 comes into play for suspending the clock which now has the general appearance of a very large watch. Clocks of this design are commonly known as clockwatches. It is but the work of a moment to convert the clock back to a shelf or desk clock by simply swinging the support down into its operating position in which it is retained by the snapping of its retaining bend 3 over the bead upon the bottom of the case 5 as already described. The swinging support will be retained in its clearance position by friction. lVhen the support is in this position, the clock is made more compact, and on that account is more readily packed for transportation.

My improved pivotal support is characterized by being positioned upon the back of the clock-case and proportioned relatively to the size thereof, so that when swung downwardly into its open position, it projects beyond the periphery of the clock-case so as to act as a support therefor, and. so that when swung upward into its inverted position, it falls entirely within the lines of the periphery of the clock-case, and is not only out of the way, but out of sight.

I claim:

1. In a clock, the combination with a cylindrical sheet-metal case the back of which is formed with two apertures located in line with each other and at a point below the horizontal center of the said back of two angle-plates mounted in the case behind the said back through the apertures of which their perforated outer ends project, and a swinging rear support made from a single piece of wire bent to form two horizontal supporting-arms extending in opposite directions, and two parallel suspension-arms terminating in trunnions respectively entering the perforated outer ends of the said angle plates, whereby the said support may be swung into an inverted or clearance p0- sition in which it falls within the periphery of the said case.

2. In a clock, the combination with the case thereof, of a swinging rear support made from a single piece of wire bent to form two horizontal supporting-arms extending in opposite directions and two upwardly projecting suspension-arms by means of which the supportis pivotally secured to the back of the case, and a retaining bend located between the said supporting-arms and adapted to be engaged with the case for holding the support in its operating position.

3. In a clock, the combination with a cylindrical sheet-n1etal case, of a swinging rear support pivotally connected with the back of the case and provided with two oppositely extending horizontal supporting arms projecting beyond the periphery of the case when the said support is swung down into its operating position, and a retaining point or bead projecting from the bottom of the case in position to be engaged by the said support for retaining the same in its said operating-position.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHAS. B. SIMMONS. Witnesses:

XV M P. I-IYUCK, E. E. S'rooKToN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

